EARLY DAYS IN SOLON TOWNSHIP

 

General Samuel Hathaway.

Historic Hathaway House, Solon, N. Y.

The Cortland Democrat, Friday, Nov. 1, 1901.

Early Days in Solon.

   The town of Solon, N. Y., was the second town established in Cortland county and therefore next to the oldest. The town originally comprised the military township known as "No. 20," and was organized March 9, 1798. It was subsequently reduced by attaching the four northern tiers of lots to Truxton, and in 1849, by the erection of the town of Taylor.

   It is a characteristic principle of a writer to describe with the most perfect minuteness, the origin or first feeble beginnings of a new settlement. These are usually read with more than ordinary interest and especially so if the early pioneers suffered many and very great inconveniences. It was no easy job for those sturdy, adventurous men and women to abandon the hearthstone of their younger days and go on for miles and miles out into a wild unsettled country and settle down in the woods and here commence a new life as it were. It required more than mere passive beings to convert these old hills and now fertile valleys, which surround us on all sides, into fruitful fields. These early pioneers possessed something more than mere negative characters. They in those early days loved truth and took pleasure in assisting each other, laboring to increase the happiness of those around them. They lived in these early days, not merely for the sake of living, but that good might result from their labors.

   Such were the men who converted our hills and valleys into green pastures and fruitful fields. The hardy adventurers who first struck their tents along the banks of the Tioughnioga [river] or reared their rustic cabins on our hillsides, were subject to incidents common to all pioneers. Many of them suffered severely during the long and weary journey to their new forest homes. At this time there were no roads, save such as were made by following Indian trails, removing the larger logs, cutting away saplings and underbrush barely sufficient to admit of the passage of a team. A grist-mill at a distance of 25 or 30 miles was a valuable consideration [in] those early days when compared with a mortar and pestle. Buck-skin pants and jacket coats constituted a "dress suit" in those early days. A wagon with wooden springs attached to a seat brought an exorbitant price. There were but few barns, grain being stacked out of doors. Stairs in a log cabin were not thought of. A man was not measured then, as he is to-day by the wealth he possessed. Forced smiles and hypocritical pretensions were reserved for later days. Land sharks, money slaves and political gamblers were "things" unknown in these days. But this goes backward into the past at a time when it was deemed an honor to be called and known by all their neighbors as "honest" men.

   The surface of the town of Solon is considerably broken. The hills are general arable and the valley rich and productive. The town is well adapted to grazing and the staple products are butter and cheese.

   The first permanent settlement was made in Solon in 1794 by Roderick Beebe and Johnson Bingham. The former located on lot 75 on that portion which is usually known to-day as "Mount Roderick." He was originally from Massachusetts. Mr. Bingham was a native of Connecticut but came in from Vermont and located on lot 62. He purchased 550 acres and reared eight children.  He was Justice of the Peace for about twenty years and Associate Judge for a long time. He died in 1842, aged 79. His widow survived him and lived to see over a century roll by, aged 103.

   William Galfin came from New Jersey and located in 1797 on lot 47. His stay was short, having afterwards discovered that he had purchased a forged title to his land. He afterwards settled in Pompey, Onondaga county. Most of the early settlements were made in the northern and eastern portions of the town now belonging to the towns of Truxton and Taylor. In 1799, John Welch came from Wyoming, and located a little to the south of Roderick Beebe. He only remained a few years, going to Cleveland, Ohio. Col. Elijah Wheeler came in from New Haven, Conn., in 1807 and located on lot 100. He originally purchased 100 acres. The venerable Captain Stephen N. Peck from Stanford, Dutchess county, located in Solon on lot 62 in March, 1804. He purchased 92 acres, afterwards increasing it. He lived to a ripe old age. Garret Pritchard came from Litchfield county, Conn., in 1801 and located on lot 74. He came in with a pack on his back, having but $16.50 in money. He went to work with a determination to succeed. His father, having come in the previous year under greatly embarrassed circumstances, found it very difficult to pay back arrearages and yet succeeded in this new country. But his son, however, accompanied both. He earned and paid $500 for his father, after which he located on lot 75. He owned upwards of 500 acres of land and was pleasantly, as well as favorably situated. In 1807 Richard Maybury came from Luzerne, Pa., and located on what is known as "States Hundred," lot 53. He purchased 100 acres. He was very industrious and left several intelligent and valuable representatives. His children were Lewis, John, Josiah J., Elizabeth, Nancy and Deacon Samuel. Henry L. Randall came from Sharon, Conn., in 1808 and located on lot 74. He moved here with him a few of the necessary articles for immediate use in his new home. He remained over half a century where he first settled and reared a family of five children—Henry, David, William, Linus and Orrin, the three former accompanied him from his New England home.

   Jonathan Randall of Sharon, Conn., located on lot 74. Ebenezer Blake of Stoddard, New Hampshire settled on lot 84. He was a soldier of the American revolution and fought in the Battle of Bunker Hill.

   Samuel Gilbert Hathaway was born in Freetown, Mass., July 18, 1780. He is descended from the Gilberts, of whom Sir Humphrey was one, and from the Puritans, Bradford and Alden. He was the youngest son of Shadrack and Hannah (Chase) Hathaway. His only brother was lost at sea with the vessel he commanded. His sister married and died in New England. His father deceased while the son was still young, he living afterwards with his grandfather, where he remained for nine years. His early education was derived in the primary schools of his native state.

   His first undertaking was that of a mariner's life, but after making a voyage to the West Indies he gave it up. In 1803 Mr. Hathaway went to Chenango county, but after settling there he was not pleased and after spending two years in the settlement, moved to Cincinnatus (now Freetown) and located on lot No. 2. Soon after this his mother died, this occurring August 14, 1826. He purchased 300 acres of Robert Smith, a revolutionary soldier. Mr. Smith drew the lot and located on it some ten years previous. At this time Mr. Hathaway was eight miles distant from his nearest neighbor on the south, four miles north and four on the east and west. In 1819 he removed to Solon and settled on the eastern part of lot 71. There he remained until 1842, when his buildings were destroyed by fire, and he changed his residence to the present location on lot 73.

   In 1810 he was appointed by the Council of Appointment, Justice of the Peace, and held that office for 48 successive years. He was also honored with every office from Supervisor down to Commissioner of Highways. In 1814 and again in 1818, he was elected to the New York Assembly. In 1822 he was elected to the state senate and in 1832 was chosen a representative from the 22nd district to United States congress.

   His early tastes led him into political life and he soon acquired great influence in the Democratic party. In 1852 he was elected Presidential elector. In 1804 he voted for Thomas Jefferson at his second election to the Presidency and voted afterwards for every Democratic candidate until the day of his death. He was a delegate to the National Democratic convention held in Cincinnati June, 1856, when James Buchanan was chosen to represent the party. In 1808 he received a Captain's commission in a battalion of infantry, under command of Major John Kingman. He was appointed Major in 1814, and Lieutenant Colonel by Governor Tompkins in 1816; Colonel in 1819; Brigadier General in 1820 by Governor Clinton; Major General in 1825 by Governor Yates. On October 21, 1840, he was appointed by Governor Wright to divide the Sixth military division into two brigade districts according to representative population as ascertained by the state census of 1845. The sixth division was composed of the counties of Oneida, Oswego, Onondaga, Cayuga, Cortland and Tompkins. This duty was promptly attended to. General Hathaway, being the oldest Major General in the sixth division, was retained.

   In the various civil and military capacities he was equally useful to his country. He accumulated a very large property. His land consisted of upwards of 3,000 acres. The home farm between 1,100 and 1,200 acres. An elegant residence, which is one of the handsomest in the county to-day was erected in 1844-5.

   General Hathaway was married October, 1808, to Miss Sally Emerson of Solon. She died April 28, 1832. Mrs. Hathaway was a lady of education and refinement. The inhabitants of the town where she passed her life time still speak of her many virtues, her genial disposition and her untiring energy,

   In November, 1848, Mr. Hathaway was again united in marriage to Miss Catherine Saxton of Groton, a thoroughly educated and refined lady. General Hathaway was the father of eleven children. Colonel L. G. Hathaway, Jr., was a prominent attorney and politician and resided in Elmira. Colonel C. L. Hathaway was an active man of business at home.

   Who is there to-day living in the county, who has resided here for any length of time, who has not heard of Colonel C. L. Hathaway, or "Cal" as he was familiarly known from one end of the county to the other? Born with an adventuresome disposition he made friends readily wherever he went. Many are the pranks played upon friends as well as foe, can be easily traced to his door. Nothing pleased his nature better than to have some mischief going, innocent in itself but fun for all except the unlucky one upon whom it was being played. However, he was a kind neighbor and enjoyed the esteem of his townsmen until the day he died. Could "Cal's" history be written up it would rival that of the adventuresome David Harum.

   Major John S. Hathaway of the United States Army was a second son. George R. had just been admitted to the bar when his career of promise ended. Miss Elizabeth Hathaway, a daughter, still resides in the old homestead that has been in the family for so many years. The homestead, situated as it is, surrounded on all sides by large handsome cedar shade trees, is a beautiful sight and always calls forth many favorable comments from the passerby. The Hathaway homestead is one of the landmarks for this part of the country. General Hathaway died in the 87th year of his age on May 21, 1867.

   In 1810 the taxable property of Solon was $99,612 and there were at that time 110 senatorial electors. In 1800 the population was 370; in 1810, 1,263; in 1814, 714; in 1820, 1,262; in 1825, 1,781; in 1830, 2,033; in 1835, 2,103; 1840, 2,311; 1845, 2,426; 1850, 1,150; 1855, 1,057 and in 1900, 622.